Reflecting device



NOV. 14, 1939. I Q PERSONS 12,180,093

REFLECT ING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I j INVENTORYminimalism I" *FTQIZ BY 4 AT-rxk Nov; 14, 1939. A. PERSONS 2 .l80,093

REFLECTING DEVI CE Filed March 10, 1936 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Patented Nov.14, 1939 REFIECTBVG DEVICE Charles A. Persons, Worcester, Mass.,'assignor to Persons-Majestic Manufacturing Company,

Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 2Claims.

This invention relates to reflectors and refleeting signals of thegeneral type used on motor vehicles, bicycles, in route signs, highwaysignals, and for various other purposes.

The increased speed at which highway traflic is moving today makes itimportant to increase the range, and consequently, thebrilliancy ofreflectors of the general type above indicated when they are used in anytraflicrelationship. Furthermore, such increase in range must beaccomplished without a sacrifice in lateral angularity of thereflectors. In other words, the distance at which such signals can beseen with such brilliancy as to command the attention of the driver,should be increased while still aflording ample lateral angularity.These requirements are necessary in order to give the driver of a motorvehicle sufficient time to see the signal and heed it, notwithstandingthe high rate oi speed at which he may be travelling.

Reflecting signals of this general type are designed to receive rays oflight and reflect them back in the general direction from which theycame. The most common condition is that in which the rays from theheadlights of a motor vehicle strike the signal and reflect it backintothe eyes of the driver of that vehicle. All of these signals, asheretofore made, are designed to be used in vertical positions wherethey will reflect horizontal rays in a generally horizontal direction.Laws are now in effect in many States making the use of such reflectorson motor vehicles compulsory. But the changes in motor vehicle designs,particularly those due to streamlining, have resulted in eliminatingmost of the vertical surfaces and replacing them with surfaces inclinedin a fore and aft direction. Such changes have made it diflicult to usethese prior types of reflectors satisfactorily. These reflecting devicescannot be mounted on the sloping surfaces of mud guards and other partsat the rear of a motor vehicle without losing the greater part of theirreflecting power. If they are placed on special brackets thereflectors'are very likely to become broken, and they detract from theappearance of the car. Also, when it is attempted to use thesereflectors mounted vertically on a steep grade, the rays of light beingparallel to the grade, are reflected in only a narrow field, so limitedas to be almost useless.

The present invention deals especially with these problems, and it aimsto devise a thoroughly practical solution for them. Stated morespecifically, it aims to provide a reflector construction which can beused on the inclined sur-- 10, 1936, Serial No. 68,048

faces at the back of a motor vehicle, or any other support, or can beset into the sloping surface of 'a mud guard or similar surface, andwhich will be highly eillcient in reflecting the approximatelyhorizontal rays of approaching headlights. Such a construction isequally useful in many other situations where essentially the sameoptical problems are involved.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from thefollowing description when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a front elevation of a reflecto embodying features of thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the units of the reflector shownin Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is a side view of the unit shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom edgeview 01' said unit;

' Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional view through a portion of thereflector shown in Fig. 1 and illustrates two of the units shown in Fig.2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal, sectional view on the line 6-6, Fig. 5;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views similar to Figs. 2, 3

and 4, respectively, illustrating another form of Fig. 11 is a frontelevation of a reflector suitable for use on the back of a motorvehicle, and embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 12 is a bottom edge view of the device shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view approximately on the line i 3-4 3, Fig. 11,and illustrating the angle with reference to a horizontal plane atvwhich this particular reflector normally is used";

Figs. 14 and 15 are views corresponding to Figs. 11 and 13,respectively, showing a reflector made up of units of the' typeillustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9;

Fig. 16 is a front elevation of another embodiment-of the invention;

Fig: 17 is a sectional view on Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 17 showing another form of reflectorunit which may be used inplace of that'illustrated in the latter figure;

Fig. 19 is a front elevation of another reflector in which a inetal faceplate is used;

Fig. 20 is a sectional view on the line 20 20,

the line n n,

Fig. 19, showing the device with a separate reflector spaced away fromthe lens; and

Figs. 21 and 22 are front and sectional views. respectively, of stillanother form which the invention may take.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the reflector thereillustrated comprises a glass body consisting of a plate-like web orbody member 2 provided on one side thereof with a series of convexlenses 3 and on its opposite side with a corresponding series of convexelements it which are silvered so that they perform the functions ofconcave reflectors or mirrors In order to avoid confusion interminology, these elements l will be referred to as mirrors. It will beclear from an inspection of Figs. 1, 5 and 6 that the mirrors arelocated in reflecting relationship to the respective lenses 3; that eachmirror is individual to a single lens, and that the mirrors are offsetwith reference to the axes of the respective lenses. As best shown inFigs. 5 and 6, the offset relationship is such that parallel rays oflight incident upon the lower half of any lens 3 will be broughtsubstantially to a focus at the surface of the concave mirror 6 for thatparticular lens, and such rays will be reflected back in approximatelythe direction from which they came, some small degree of dispersion ofthese rays being produced. Parallel rays incident upon the greater partof the upper half of the lens, however, will not be reflected by themirror 4. Naturally the proportions of the lens 3 and mirror 4 whichcooperate with each other in this manner can be varied within reasonablelimits, and so long as such variations do not defeat other objects ofthe invention.

The .foregoing relationship refers more particularly to thoseconsiderations aflecting vertical angularity of the reflector. As tolateral or horizontal angularity, the relationship of the units 3 and 4to each other should be such that at least a 90 angularity is obtained.As shown in 5 Fig. 6, it is possible to produce a somewhat greaterdegree of spread in the construction shown.

Connecting the lower edge of the mirror t with the main plate or web 2,is a surface 5 which may be either curved or flat. It is usuallysilvered but performs no important reflecting function but it doesafford an important manufacturing advantage. It joins the web at a pointclosely adjacent to the upper edge of the mirror l next below it. Therelationship of all of the parts above described to each other in asingle unit will readily be understood from an inspection of Figs. 2, 3and 4. l I

Assuming the reflector 2 to be mounted at approximately a 45 angle onthe back of a ,motor vehicle, or on any other convenient support, asshown in Fig.- 5, it will reflect back to approximately the sourcehorizontal rays striking the lenses 3. It also accommodates a reasonablevariation from a horizontal plane and it gives .a horizontal angularityas wide as necessary.

, Thus a reflector composed of a series of these reflector units can bemounted on the sloping surface of a bicycle or automobile mud guard, orin a vertical position on a steep grade,v and in all of these locationsit will reflect back to the driver of a car rays issuing from hisheadlight with such brilliancy as to warn him of the presence of thesignal.

In this construction a considerable portion of the-upper half of thelens 3is not utilized, and

th vertical angularity of full reflection of the reflector will besomewhat increased if the tops of these lenses are cut off, as shown at6 in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. In other respects the unit illustrated in thesefigures is essentially like that shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. It will beevident from an inspection of Fig. 5 that if the top of the lower lens 3there shown is cut away, rays from a lower angle will be permitted tostrike the bottom of the upper lens 3.

As above stated, it is preferable to so proportion the radii and spacingof the lens 3 and mirror 4 that the lens will focus parallel rayssubstantially at the surface of the mirror. This may conveniently beaccomplished with a concentric relationship of the surfaces of the partsa and 4. However, this is not absolutely essential, and these two unitsmay have independent centers, if desired, as shown in Fig. 10. In all ofthese constructions the center line or axis a-a, Fig. 3, of the concavemirror 6 forms the axis of the mean incident beam which the mirror isdesigned to receive and makes an oblique angle with the axis b-b of theconvex lens 3. It also passes through thecenter of curvature of saidlens. The construction above described is useful not only for thereasons stated, but also in producing added brilliancy and range in areflector of sizes suitable for use on the back of a motor vehicle or abicycle. This is due to the fact that the units can be grouped moreclosely than in prior constructions, while still preserving the otheressential relationships of angularity, and the like. Referring again toFigs. 1, 5 and 6, it will be seen that-each mirror 6 extends beyond theupper edge .and laterally beyond the side edges of its respective lens3, but that it does not extend below said lens. Consequently while thereflector is subject to essentially the same lateral spacing limitationsas prior constructions, it permits a much closer vertical spacing ofunits of a given size. The sizes of the units that can be usedefiectively'in reflectors of this general type are limited, andconsequently, the brilliancy and range of a reflector of givendimensions is determined by the number of these units that can begrouped in a given space, other conditions being equal. An importantadvantage of this invention, therefore, is that it affords the increasedrange, brilliancy and efficiency above referred to.

Fig. 11 illustrates a typical reflector of dimensions suitable for useon the back of a motor vehicle or bicycle, while Figs. 14 and 15 showessentially the same construction in which the units illustrated inFigs. 8, 9 and 10 are employed. In connection with the latter figures itmay be pointed out that the cutting off of the tops of the lenses may beused, if desired, to effect a still closer grouping of the unitsvertically than is possible in the arrangement shown in Figs. 11, 12 and13, while still affording the same degree of vertical angularity, or thesame spacing of the units may be maintained, and the greater verticalangularity afforded thereby may thus be utilized.

Figs. 16 and 17 illustrate a construction similar to that shown in Figs.11, 12 and 13, but in which the web or plate-like body of the device ismade in the form of a section of a cylinder. The entire glass body ismounted in a metal holder i0 provided with perforated ears I2--l2 at itsupper and lower ends suitable for attachment to the mud guard of a motorvehicle or a bicycle. Also, the device may include a metal face plate i3provided with apertures through which the lenses 3 can project. Such amounting for the glass body is useful in affording some protection Iagainst breakage .3 of the type shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are used isillustrated in Fig. 18. These constructions in which thereflector ismounted in a metal holder or shell are of advantage in securing thedevice conveniently to any suitable support. In this connection it maybe pointed out that where these reflectors are mounted in a verticalposition on a grade, the installation can readily be made such that thereflectors will receive lights from the head lamps coming up the gradeand will reflect them downward substantially to their source. The samedevices, turned upside down, can be used on a down grade where they willperform the same functions that they do on the up grade.

Usually the most economical arrangement is to cast or mold the units ina single body. How- ,ever, such units as those shown in either Figs.

2, 3 and 4, or Figs. '1, 8 and 9, can be made independently andassembled in any suitable holder which will maintain them in the desiredrelationship to each other.

, Also, the mirrors 4 need not necessarily be molded integral with theglass body, but these units may be replaced by a separate reflector ormirror made of metal, or any other suitable material. Such anarrangement is illustrated in Fig. 20 where the metal mirror is providedwith concave reflecting surfaces 4', located in essentially the samerelationship to the lenses 3' as' are the mirrors 4 in the constructionsabove described. The arrangement showndn Fig. 20 is the functionalequivalent of those illustrated in other flgures. The latter are oftenpreferred because of considerations of economy in manufacture,especially in certain sizes, but these considerations and specialconditions make it desirable to use the separate reflector in othercases.

This construction also lends itself readily-to the manufacture ofletters, words, and the like, as shown for example in Figs. 21 and 22.Here the lenses 3 and mirrors 4 are arranged suitably to form the letterS, the entire structure being molded or cast as a unitary plate, but anyother letter, figure, word, or the like, may be made in the same manner,or in sections of suitable dimensions. It will be observed that in theforegoing description, the term plate" has not been used in its strictsense, but rather as indicating the general form of the deviceor of theweb which connects the units and, in fact,- forms parts of them, and itmay or may not have flat surfaces. It will also be understood thattransparent plastic compositions now available commerclally can be usedinstead of glass since they are the equivalent for glass-in mostlocations.

A most important feature of this invention is its application tobicycles. Formerly, to get the full benefit of a reflector on' a bicycleit was common practice to attach it near the rear end of the mud guardin order that it would be at an approximate right angle to lightsapproaching from the rear. In this low position it was soon covered withsplash and dirt from the wheel and so rendered uselas. With my improvedreflector, its location high on the mud guard, frame or other support,is feasible, and in such a position it will return full reflection to,and in the general direction of, the source of light even though itsface is approximately removed from the vertical.

While I have herein shown and described typical embodiments of myinvention, it will be evident that the details of constructionnecessarily will be modified somewhat in accordance with therequirements of individual situations, and that the invention maybeembodied in a great variety of forms without departing from the spiritor scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

l. A reflector comprising. a glass plate designed to be used in aninclined position and providedwith a plurality of units, each unitcomprising a convex lens on one side of said plate and a convexprojection, coated to perform the functions of a mirror, on the oppositeside of the plate, said mirror beinglocated in reflecting relationshipto the lens and offset upwardly with referencefto the lens, the mirrorof each unit extending above its respective lens and laterally beyond itat opposite sides thereof for substantial distances, but thelensextending below the lower edge of the mirror, the lower edge of eachmirror being connected to the plate by a surface 7 extending from saidedge and meeting the plate on a line closely adjacent the upper edge ofthe mirror of the unit next below and above the lower portion of itsrelated lens, said lens and mirror being arranged substantially inautocollimating relation on an axis at an acute angle to the plate. 1

2. A reflector comprising a glass plate designed to be used in aninclined position and provided with a plurality of nnits, each unitcomprising a convex lens on one side of said plate and a convexprojection, tions of a concave mirror, on the opposite side of theplate, said mirror being located in reflecting relationship to said lensand offset upwardly with reference to the lens, the mirror of each unitextending above its respective lens andlaterally beyond it at oppositesides thereof for sub,- stantial distances, but the lens extending belowthe lower edge of the mirror, said projection having an approximatelyflat lower surface extending from the lower edge of said mirror andmeeting the plate on a line closely adjacent the upperedge of the mirrorof the unit next below, and above the lower portion of its related lens,said lens and mirror being arranged substantially in autocollimatingrelationon an axis at an acute angle to the plate.

\ CHARLEBAPERBONS.

coated to perform the func--

